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Big 12 baseball: Tournament teams taking a 'win or else' approach

Like never before at the Big 12 Tournament, every team is on high alert: win or else. And that includes the Kansas State Wildcats, who are securely positioned in the postseason, yet so want to solidify coveted status as one of 16 NCAA Regional hosts.

OU / OSU / COLLEGE BASEBALL: Teams line up before the Bedlam baseball game between the University of Oklahoma and Oklahoma State University at the Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark in Oklahoma CIty, Saturday, May 11, 2013. Photo by Sarah Phipps, The Oklahoman

Roll call time at the Big 12 Tournament: all teams feeling completely comfortable with your current postseason possibilities, let's have a show of hands …

OK, Kansas State, as the surging conference champion, we see you.

Now, who else?

Anyone? Bueller?

Oklahoma State might hesitantly stick a hand in the air, and Oklahoma might sheepishly reach about head high, yet résumé work remains for both as the tournament begins Thursday, following a one-day delay out of respect for the Moore tornado victims. And for everyone else, there's presumably only one path into the NCAA selection committee's heart — claim the league's automatic berth by hoisting the tournament trophy Sunday at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark.

Like never before at the Big 12 Tournament, every team is on high alert: win or else. And that includes the Wildcats, who are securely positioned in the postseason, yet so want to solidify coveted status as one of 16 NCAA Regional hosts.

So there's a call to win for every club.

A need to win, which promises to ramp up competitive levels over the next four days.

“All of us have a lot to play for, certainly,” said Cowboys coach Josh Holliday.

Beyond K-State, Holliday's squad seems to be in the best shape, with a 39-14 record and second-place finish in the Big 12 regular season and a No. 33 RPI. All of the college baseball bracketology counts the Cowboys as in.

Still, go 0-3 in the tournament — now possible with the pool-play format — and you're putting yourself in the hands of the committee.

“Our approach will be to win them one at a time the best that we can,” Holliday said.

The Sooners are also looked upon favorably, but considered a bubble team after losing their final three Big 12 series and 14 of their last 23 overall, resulting in an RPI of 51 that rides right along the dividing line.

“We know we have to exhaust our efforts this weekend,” said OU senior outfielder Max White.

Added Sooners catcher Anthony Hermelyn: “You want to win every game. We know we need to win some games to help our cause. If we can get another quality win against a team like K-State, it would help. But you try to win every game. We're looking to make a run.”

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